The Danish History, Books I-IX eBook

At the same time Erik, who held the governorship of
Sweden, died of disease; and his son Halfdan, who
governed in his father’s stead, alarmed by the
many attacks of twelve brothers of Norwegian birth,
and powerless to punish their violence, fled, hoping
for reinforcements, to ask aid of Fridleif, then sojourning
in Russia. Approaching him with a suppliant face,
he lamented that he was himself shattered and bruised
by a foreign foe, and brought a dismal plaint of his
wrongs. From him Fridleif heard the tidings of
his father’s death, and granting the aid he
sought, went to Norway in armed array. At this
time the aforesaid brothers, their allies forsaking
them, built a very high rampart within an island surrounded
by a swift stream, also extending their earthworks
along the level. Trusting to this refuge, they
harried the neighborhood with continual raids.
For they built a bridge on which they used to get
to the mainland when they left the island. This
bridge was fastened to the gate of the stronghold;
and they worked it by the guidance of ropes, in such
a way that it turned as if on some revolving hinge,
and at one time let them pass across the river; while
at another, drawn back from above by unseen cords,
it helped to defend the entrance.

These warriors were of valiant temper, young and stalwart,
of splendid bodily presence, renowned for victories
over giants, full of trophies of conquered nations,
and wealthy with spoil. I record the names of
some of them—­for the rest have perished
in antiquity—­Gerbiorn, Gunbiorn, Arinbiorn,
Stenbiorn, Esbiorn, Thorbiorn, and Biorn. Biorn
is said to have had a horse which was splendid and
of exceeding speed, so that when all the rest were
powerless to cross the river it alone stemmed the
roaring eddy without weariness. This rapid comes
down in so swift and sheer a volume that animals often
lose all power of swimming in it, and perish.
For, trickling from the topmost crests of the hills,
it comes down the steep sides, catches on the rocks,
and is shattered, falling into the deep valleys with
a manifold clamour of waters; but, being straightway
rebuffed by the rocks that bar the way, it keeps the
speed of its current ever at the same even pace.
And so, along the whole length of the channel, the
waves are one turbid mass, and the white foam brims
over everywhere. But, after rolling out of the
narrows between the rocks, it spreads abroad in a
slacker and stiller flood, and turns into an island
a rock that lies in its course. On either side
of the rock juts out a sheer ridge, thick with divers
trees, which screen the river from distant view.
Biorn had also a dog of extraordinary fierceness,
a terribly vicious brute, dangerous for people to live
with, which had often singly destroyed twelve men.
But, since the tale is hearsay rather than certainty,
let good judges weigh its credit. This dog, as
I have heard, was the favourite of the giant Offot
(Un-foot), and used to watch his herd amid the pastures.